feedstocks
Industrial starting materials
Feedstocks are raw materials supplied to industrial processes for conversion into something else.
Oil refineries use crude oil as feedstock.
Chemical plants use feedstocks like natural gas or ethanol.
The term emphasizes the material's role as input rather than its inherent nature: The plant can switch between different feedstocks depending on price.
Moldable petroleum-based materials
- refineryIndustrial purification facility
- manufacturingIndustrial product creation
- processingSystematic operation on data
- productionMaking or generating something
commodities · inputs · throughput · conversion · downstream · upstream · capacity · inventory
Compounds derived from petroleum
- ethyleneSimplest alkene, C₂H₄
- propyleneUnsaturated three-carbon hydrocarbon
- methanolToxic one-carbon alcohol
- ammoniaAcrid nitrogen-hydrogen gas
benzene · toluene · xylene · butadiene · aromatics · polymers · monomers · catalysts
Living material in aggregate
- cellulosePlant wall polysaccharide
- ligninStructural plant polymer
- starchComplex plant carbohydrate
- sugarcaneSucrose-yielding tropical grass
corn · soybeans · algae · switchgrass · bagasse · rapeseed · molasses · glycerol
Fuel from organic sources
- ethanolDrinkable volatile spirit
- biodieselPlant-based motor fuel
- hydrogenSimplest atomic element
- methaneSimplest alkane fuel
gasification · pyrolysis · combustion · BTU · calorific · bioethanol
plastics
Moldable petroleum-based materials
- refineryIndustrial purification facility
- manufacturingIndustrial product creation
- processingSystematic operation on data
production · commodities · inputs · throughput · conversion · downstream · upstream · capacity · inventory · procurement
petrochemicals
Compounds derived from petroleum
- ethyleneSimplest alkene, C₂H₄
- propyleneUnsaturated three-carbon hydrocarbon
- methanolToxic one-carbon alcohol
ammonia · benzene · toluene · xylene · butadiene · aromatics · polymers · monomers · catalysts · intermediates
biomass
Living material in aggregate
sugarcane · corn · soybeans · algae · switchgrass · bagasse · rapeseed · molasses · glycerol · manure
biofuel
Fuel from organic sources
methane · gasification · pyrolysis · combustion · BTU · calorific · bioethanol
feedstocksend products
What processes yield
finished goods · outputs · finished products · consumer goods · derivatives